


when it feels like this

by imo2717



Category: Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Everyone is happy!, F/M, Kingdom of Ash Spoilers, Spoilers, like comment and subscribe!!1!1, no erawan!, no has taken the oath to maeve bc f that b
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-20
Updated: 2018-12-11
Packaged: 2019-08-26 17:39:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16686124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imo2717/pseuds/imo2717
Summary: "When I turned twenty, you came with a delegation of Fae to Terrasen, to make amends for the rift between my mother and Maeve. And you and I took one look at each other in my father's throne room, and we knew" - Kingdom of Ash pg 348





	1. like a light came on

**Author's Note:**

> Like we were always meant to be/To think I never knew it/Til now  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6A94zzMvM

Aelin sat to the right of her father, settled in their thrones as they waited for their guests to be announced. Aedion was perched on the arm of hers, regaling her with stories of the power of some of the guests, hundreds of years old, more powerful than any other warriors, legends across the world. She nodded vaguely, wondering how long this was going to take. As interesting as these next few weeks were going to be, with some of the guests training her properly for the first time in her life, she wished for these introductions to be over with. The throne room was hot and stuffy, and her tiara was uncomfortably heavy on her head. She shifted in her seat, flipping the skirt of her gown up to get some kind of breeze onto her legs. Her mother gave her a disapproving look that she pretended not to see, choosing to glance at Aedion instead, his collar loose and his jacket thrown over his shoulder. She heard her father snort and flashed a smile at the assembled court. Even as an adult she had all of them wrapped around her finger. 

Quinn, Rhoe’s captain of the guard, rushed into the throne room, and everyone sprung into action. The guards lining the hall snapped to attention. Aedion jumped up from her side, fixing his uniform and inspecting his weapons. Aelin grinned at him while she straightened up and readjusted her own clothes. Time to get this over with.

The doors groaned open, revealing a large group of fae emissaries of Meave, here to mend the broken relationship between two families. Evalin Ashryver Galathynius still harbored distrust of Meave but was willing to put it aside for the sake of the kingdom. For the sake of Aelin. Aelin, who still, at 20 years of age, struggled to control her growing power, and badly needed training. She hadn’t burnt anything down yet, but her power showed no sign of reaching its limit, and she knew her parents were concerned. She knew her mother felt guilty, hated using her water powers to douse Aelin when she lost control. She looked back up at Evalin, knowing how hard this was for her. 

The fae visitors were introducing themselves, members of various prestigious families from around Doranelle. Terrasen was populated with a fair amount of fae, but these were a different breed. In Terrasen, the fae were artists, always dancing and singing. These fae were warriors. Aelin noticed one that stood close to the front, a tattoo adorning his neck. He looked past her, focused on Aedion standing next to her. From what little she had gleaned from Aedion’s babbling, she thought it might the Lion. Gavriel–an ancient warrior. She looked at her cousin, who was focused on what the fae standing before the dais was saying, not noticing the attention. She shook her head and turned back to the female, who was waxing poetic about what a step this was for the two great kingdoms. Aelin drifted back into her seat again, barely suppressing a grin as she glanced at Elide, standing, as always, behind Marion, her mouth a small O as she took in the beautiful creatures before them. She scanned the crowd, trying to remember what she had been told about them. 

Aelin’s eye locked with those of a fae male who stood across the hall from her, his silver hair shining in the sun that broke through the stained glass windows. Something pulled in her mind, in her chest. Her breath caught. He stood unnaturally still as he looked at her, eyes widening. The room started to warm, even as a sweet spring breeze flew between them. Aelin’s heart began to speed up, her flame rising up. Aedion leaned over to look at her, his hand brushing her arm, undoubtedly noticing the change in her breathing. 

“What’s wrong?” He asked, his eyes flitting around the room, other hand resting on his sword. 

“Nothing. Nothing’s wrong,” Aelin responded, her voice sounding like it came from underwater, her eyes never leaving those of the fae. She hadn’t heard his name. Hadn’t been paying attention. He stood between five other males, the closest of whom had noticed the change in his companion’s behavior. His black eyes widened briefly, and his faced dissolved into a grin as he looked between the two of them.

Aelin didn’t notice her father’s continued introductions of Terrasen’s court, or her mother noticing the locked gazes. Evalin placed a hand over her heart and reached the other to place it on her husband’s arm. Rhoe gave her a curious look, but she only shook her head and rushed to her daughter's side.

Aelin grabbed Elide’s arm and pulled her along as her mother practically dragged them into an antechamber behind the dais. Aedion rushed in after them and closed the door. Her friend’s confused look mirrored her cousin’s. Aelin’s breathing sped up again and she looked at her mother in almost a panic. She was vaguely aware of confused voices coming from the chamber they had just left. Her hands went up to her head and she paced towards the back of the room, pulled the tiara from the braids it sat on. Her mother plucked it from her hands and handed it to a flustered Aedion, before standing in front of her frantic daughter.   

“You feel it, don’t you?” Evalin asked, placing her hands on her daughter’s flushed cheeks, voice thick. Aelin closed her eyes and leaned into her mother’s touch, wishing she had inherited more of her water. She was unbearably warm, her fire pounding in her blood as she tried to reconcile what had just happened. She nodded once, placing her own hand over her heart. 

Softly, she said "My Mate?" Her mother's eyes were tearful, happy tears. The word sounded strange, foreign. She heard the sharp intakes of breath behind her as her words sank in. She almost had to laugh.

None of them knew how this worked. Stories passed down from parents and grandparents, myths in books. But Rhoe and Evalin were both human, and couldn’t understand this part of their daughter. But they had worked with her magic, her ability to shift, they would come to understand this.  There was a knock on the door, but a barked response from Aedion had feet shuffle quickly away. Aelin looked at the door anyway. 

“I think I should go back out there,” she whispered, quickly looking back at her mother for approval. Evalin nodded, at a loss for what to say. She walked over and opened the heavy door, whispering quickly to her husband, who turned back around and spoke to the assembled crowd.

Behind that door was... everything. Everything she had dreamed of since childhood. She could suddenly see a future as Queen, with her King, her mate, at her side. 


	2. i got everything/at my fingertips

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A longer chapter in honor of me having time to write over Thanksgiving break! Thanks for all the wonderful comments, I'm so glad so many of you are enjoying it <3

 

Rowan stood in the middle of Orynth’s throne room, jaw slack. Terrasen’s court was harried, Rhoe standing next to a door behind the thrones with a concerned look on his face. His wife and daughter had run out of the room minutes before, offering no explanation. No one had caught on to what had happened. No one, that is, but Fenrys, who was snickering next to him. The rest of the Doranelle delegation milled about uncertainly. They had been assured that the Queen of Terrasen would welcome their presence, but her abrupt exit seemed to suggest otherwise. Rowan was here in two capacities. A representative for the Whitethorn family, and a potential trainer for the princess. There were a few fae here for that role; some with water powers, some fire, though if the rumors were to be believed, none were nearly as powerful as the Princess. Maeve had insisted that Rowan’s power might serve a purpose in helping the young woman learn to control her fire, able to rip the air from it. 

Rowan elbowed Fenrys, hoping not to draw too much attention to himself. He wasn’t sure how to handle this development. His fae hearing could just make out hushed voices from behind the door, but he did his best to block them out. It wouldn’t be good to start this relationship based on eavesdropping. Especially if Aelin Galathynius was as much of a spitfire as reports indicated. Would she accept him? She was so young. She was demi-Fae, but to what extent? Enough to be able to shift, to have immense power, to have a  _ mate _ . But would she settle? He couldn’t know if she even wanted this. Didn’t even know if she already had a beloved.  

Before he could dwell on that thought too long, Aedion Ashryver slipped out from behind the door and whispered something in his uncle’s ear, his eyes roaming the room until they landed on a frozen Rowan. Rhoe’s face paled, but a smile peeked through his beard. He gave Rowan a pointed look as he turned to the gathered people and spoke.

“I’m afraid this reception is going to have to be moved. If you would all follow me,” he  started towards the door, stopping only to grasp Rowan’s arm. He opened his mouth. Then shut it, only looking back to do the door behind which his daughter stood. Rowan nodded in understanding and watched as they left, smiling weakly at his friends as they left, Fenrys throwing him a quick thumbs up before bursting into laughter when Gavriel pushed him along, a confused look on the Lion’s face. 

The door behind the dais opened slowly after the throne room emptied out. Rowan wasn’t sure he was breathing as Aelin emerge, sending a nervous glance back in at whoever stood behind the door. Her tiara was gone, leaving only slightly mussed up braids atop her head. Her cheeks were red, and her small hands flitted over the skirt of her light blue dress. She came to a stop at the top of the dais and took a deep breath. They stood, looking at each other for a moment. Rowan took a step forward and suddenly she was at the bottom of the dais. They were only steps away from each other before either of them spoke. She was beautiful. It almost hurt to look at her. The circle of gold in her turquoise eyes glowed in the afternoon sunlight.

“I don’t know your name,” She said, her voice the answer to a question he had been asking for centuries. He could feel heat rolling off her, could see sparks flying between her fingertips. 

“Rowan. Rowan Whitethorn.” he managed to choke out, his eyes never leaving her face. She reached for his hand but stopped short, noticing the sparks. He bridged the gap between their fingers. The princess smiled softly at him, looking at their joined hands as if she was surprised that he wasn’t frightened of the fire. The sparks still danced around them, landing on Rowan’s arm, but leaving no mark. They stood silently for another moment, her smile widening.

“Supposedly you’re a legendary warrior, but my cousin says you can only turn into a bird. That doesn’t seem very warrior-like,” she said suddenly, catching him by surprise. He just looked at her for a moment before bursting out laughing, heart softening at the pleased look on her face. His hand wandered up to her face, brushing a strand of golden hair out of her eyes.

“Well, I think you’re stuck with me. Bird and all,” he whispered.

“I suppose it will have to do.” She said, eyes still locked. Her grin only grew as he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. 

* * *

 

The next day was a rush of councils meetings and messengers being sent across the continents. Rowan’s family had to be informed that he would not be returning to Doranelle anytime soon. And Terrasen’s court had to come to terms with what seemed to be their next consort. Like the King and Queen, members of the court were mostly human. They were now faced with an heir who had no intention of marrying for political gain, but had instead flounced out of Orynth’s great hall hand in hand with a foreign fae warrior and announced that he was her mate, flashing the stunned masses a cheeky grin before her parents ushered the two of them to the royal quarters. Rhoe and Evalin had always maintained that Aelin would marry when she was ready, but there had already been names floated through the court for potential matches. Crown Prince Dorian of Adarlan was one, the two of them already friends after bonding over their shared love of books during a state visit. One of the many sons of the Great Kaghan of the Southern Continent. The Ashryver’s in Wendlyn had even proposed a marriage to Aedion, which had been quickly shot down by the whole family. But after the events of that afternoon, all those names were thrown out the window.

Aedion stood by the door of Aelin’s rooms. It was almost nightfall and they were getting ready to venture out onto the fields in front of Orynth for the solstice celebrations. As children, it had always been the two of them running amok through the bonfires, but the group had expanded in the years since. Ren had taken to tagging along after he and his father got over that he would not be taking the oath. Elide had come every year since Aelin was 14, the two of them friends despite their different personalities. Even Dorian and his friend Chaol had come once, delighting in the spectacle of it all. Aelin’s entire retinue would be in attendance tonight. Along with Prince Rowan and his entourage. It was always going to be a special solstice, the fae’s trip had been planned to coincide with the event. But the bond snapping into place changed it even more. Rowan would be there to witness Aelin in everything she was. This was her night, and she was going to share it with him. She had said as much in the rushed moments that they had caught that afternoon, as she shoved food into her mouth during lunch before another council gathering.

Elide breezed down the hallway, smiling gently at Aedion as she stopped in front of him. She was still quiet and shy, but Aedion appreciated her calm presence. She balanced out Aelin’s chaos. “You ready?” She asked, smiling at his nod as she slipped through the door into Aelin’s room. He peeked in after her, catching a glimpse of the chaos that littered the room.

“Elide! Thank gods you’re here. Aedion, I know you’re out there, too. At least come in and help me, I’m having a crisis,” He glanced at the other guard stationed in the hallway and walked into the room, mildly concerned. He turned around a corner to see her standing at the mirror with her hands on her hips, her hair wild. She looked down at her embroidered dress and then threw herself onto the couch. There were at least ten just like it already on the floor in front of the mirror. Aelin was a wildfire most days, but she insisted on being a well dressed one. Her vast closet was full of every kind of outfit, overflowing with gowns and tunics and fur-lined coats.

“I have nothing to wear!” His cousin wailed, a hand thrown dramatically over her eyes. Aedion snorted, trying not to make eye contact with Elide, who was struggling to hide her own grin. Aelin turned and gave him a wicked look.

“Don’t laugh at me,” she whined, sitting up, “This is important. I want to make a good impression.” Her voice raised up an octave, betraying her very genuine anxiety and Aedion understood. Aelin was a princess, and a powerful magic wielder, but she was also a young woman in the first blushes of love. Elide sat down next to the princess and started drawing a brush through her golden hair, speaking calmly.

“You don’t need to make a good impression, Aelin, you already did. And even if you didn’t, it wouldn’t matter. You could be covered in dirt and sweat and filth, and it wouldn’t matter to him. He already loves you, he was always loved you. You’re beautiful and strong and tonight is yours. Just wear whatever you were planning to wear, and try to enjoy yourself,” Aelin closed her eyes and nodded, breathing in and out deeply. “I know that this changes everything, but it doesn’t have to change you. You just found the other half of yourself. Show him around, show him your kingdom, show him yourself.”

Aelin opened her eyes again and turned to her friend. Her eyes were glistening as she threw her arms around the younger girl, whispering quiet words of thanks into her black hair.

Her eyes opened and she looked at Aedion. “Lot of good you’ve done, standing there doing nothing,” She said to Aedion, who threw his arms up in exasperation. His cousin sniffed and walked to her drawers. Within minutes she had donned a red tunic and brown pants, ready to run and jump and dance all night. She looped her arm through Aedion’s and the other through Elide’s as they escorted her through the halls. She chattered brightly, regaling them all in stories of what had happened throughout the day. Apparently, Rowan had lost his temper at one of the lords who had implied that Aelin was letting her country down by not accepting a more politically useful match, and the looks on all of their faces had made the hours of meetings worth it.  

They stopped at the top of a grand flight of stairs. At the bottom stood a group of fae males, all towering over an uncomfortable looking Ren, who had been instructed to show them around the city during the day. One of them, the golden-haired one from the day before, slapped Ren on the back, who just laughed uncertainly and ran a hand over his head. The relief in his eyes was visible from the landing when he noticed the trio. Rowan turned around to look, his eyes lighting up. 

Aedion still couldn't quite believe it. Leave it to his cousin to be mates with one of the most legendary warriors in history–her father still told stories of his escapades. It explained a lot, if he was being honest. He hadn’t properly met the Prince yet, just seen him briefly at breakfast before his aunt had led him out. He was waiting for the proper moment to question Rowan about the truth of the stories, question all of the group. But tonight was for Aelin. She dropped their arms and flew down the stairs, grasping Rowan’s arm instead and pulling him towards the door. He followed easily, eyes stuck to the back of her head. His friends roared with laughter and followed, Ren hanging back to wait for Aedion. Aelin pushed open the door and practically skipped towards the gates of Orynth, drawn to the fires that were being lit as dusk fell. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 will be the actual solstice! Let me know what you think and what you want to see!


	3. hardwired to be with you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the slight delay, got overwhelmed with exams. finished them now though, so updates will hopefully come more often? hope you like! as always, let me know what you think and what you want to see!

Aelin spun around, head thrown back with joy. Solstice night was always special, the citizens of Terrasen flocking to Orynth to celebrate with their royal family. People craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the Princess and her mate. And the group of fae males that accompanied them. They wove through the fires and people, sticking close to Aelin. There were other fae in the crowd, but these ones stuck out. Rowan’s cadre seemed to not realize the effect they had on everyone around them, and they joked with Ren the whole time. They had taken well to him during the day he had been assigned to them. Ren seemed exhausted, but still had the energy to jostle with Aedion as they descended onto the plain.

Elide was dancing with Aelin, had pulled her into the dance as she pouted at Rowan’s refusal. Her mate–the word still foreign to her–stood at the edge of the circle his eyes never leaving her. His silver hair caught the light and seemed to be alive as the fire around them continued to rise. 

He had held her hand. All her life, people had shied away from her fire, but yesterday he had seen those embers flying from her fingertips, and held her hand. As he had most of the day, squeezing periodically. She had wanted nothing more than to talk to him, but instead had to spend the day sitting through stuffy council meetings, explaining over and over what this bond meant to her. What it meant to the kingdom.  

As if he had heard her thoughts, Rowan was suddenly at her shoulder. He smiled gently down at Elide. “May I interrupt?” He asked, Elide smiled and nodded, raising her eyebrows at Aelin as she retreated. 

“I thought you didn’t dance?” Aelin smirked, raising her own eyebrows. He laughed quietly, his intent gaze focused on her.  

“I can make a few exceptions.” He replied. “A few.” She grabbed his hands before he changed his mind and joined back in the crowd. The dance was a fast paced one, it required little skill, but an excess of energy. She lost herself in the turns and steps, in the wild smile and strong arms of the male opposite her. 

Lost in her happiness as she was, Aelin didn’t notice the embers that flew around her and her mate as they spun and jumped and laughed. But the rest of Terrasen did. As a child, she had run through this very gathering, leaving glowing sparks wherever she stepped. As she grew older, as her power grew and her control over it did not, she had stopped being so free with that magic. It had been years since her people had seen the fire of their Fireheart. But here she was,  surrounded by an aura of happiness and  _ freedom, _ a faint crown of fire atop both of their beautiful heads _.  _

What felt like hours later, Aelin stood still for the first time that night, breathless with excitement. A man, bent with age, stood in front of a fire, singing a beautiful song in the Old Language. Her retinue stood around her, watching with wide eyes. Rowan stood next to her. At first glance he stuck an imposing figure, towering as he was, with his arms crossed. But from where Aelin stood she could see the glittering in his eyes, the serene smile as he listened to the words. As more people joined the chorus, he leaned down towards her. “Would you be able to tend to a fire like that?” He asked, his smiling eyes lighting up with the light from the pyre. Aedion and Ren winced at the question, attention split between the song and the couple in front of them.

“I tried once, when I was a girl,” Aelin replied, “It didn’t go well.” 

Rowan only shrugged. “We’ll work on it.” He said with a nod. Usually questions about her lack of control upset her, but tonight she couldn’t bring herself to care. She knew he didn’t care, so why should she. The thought filled her with such joy that she laughed out loud. Maybe she’d never fully control her power. But standing there, surrounded by everyone she loved, she realized that maybe it didn’t matter. He looked down in happy surprise and she grasped his hand again and held it close to her heart.  

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “If you'll be mine, let every inch of your heart be mine”- Casadh an tsugain


	4. butterflies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hm this didn't turn out quite how i expected, so lmk what you think! i got a little lost towards the end but i think i managed to figure it out. thanks for reading as always!

“It’s over. I hate him!” Aelin exclaimed, throwing herself onto Aedion’s bed. He looked up from his desk, eyebrows raised. That was quick. It was a few days later, and Aedion was  _ trying  _ to write out a report. His cousin was dressed in training clothes and strands of hair that had escaped from her tight braid were stuck to her forehead with sweat. Aelin had started training the Doranelle fae–her first significant training in magic. Clearly, it wasn’t gone well. The training contingent of the fae delegation had been sequestered away with Aelin for the past days, desperately trying to make some kind of progress. Aedion had been there on the first day, supervising what they all thought would be a volatile process. But instead, it had been a lot of standing around and physical workouts, but no actual magic use. The fae had been feeling out her power, trying to see how deep it went. Aelin had lasted all of three minutes before she started fidgeting. From what Aedion gathered, Aelin was one of the most powerful there, if she could only learn the discipline needed to properly harness it. He’d heard the word patience muttered multiple times during the training session as a rotation of warriors tried different tacks with Aelin. It almost made him laugh. Patience was not a word he would ever associate with his cousin.

“May I ask, cousin, what motivated this change of heart?” He asked, leaning back in his chair and placing his boots on the table. She turned onto her stomach to face him, chin resting on her hands. 

“He’s a hard-headed male who won’t listen to me. I keep trying to tell him that I’ll only ever learn how to use my power if I actually use it. Standing around won’t do anything. I’m not a child. They keep talking about knowing my limits, but how am I supposed to know what my limits are if he never lets me try? I tried to show them all what I could do and Rowan threw a fit. You’d think I was burning the building down. I don’t know what stories they’ve been told but they all think I’m still the little girl who lost control every time she so much as looked at a fire.” She rushed out, stopping to take a breath and looking up at him expectantly. Aedion blinked. 

“I think maybe in this case you should listen to honed warriors who know what they’re talking about. And I know it might grate on you, but he does only want what’s best for you.”

She leveled a glare at him, not used to him not taking her side. “Well, it doesn’t matter anyway. I told them all to leave. I’ll teach myself how to use my magic. It can’t be that hard, can it? You’ll help me, won’t you?” Aedion gave a vague nod, eyes widening at the thought of being anywhere near Aelin while she tried to learn how to control her fire. 

A knock on the door interrupted them. Aelin sat up straight, eyes murderous.“That’s him. Go and tell him I’m not here.” She hissed. Aedion hauled himself out of his chair, not bothering to remind her that Rowan’s fae senses would give her away–had likely already given her away. She huffed a breath and lay back down, arms crossed. No longer worried about making a good impression.

It was becoming more and more apparent how well matched the two of them were. From the outside, they seemed polar opposites, a legendary warrior and a doted-upon Princess. But as soon as they were in a room together it became so clear. Aelin had been exhausted the last few days–she may not have been exerting her magic but the fae were training her harder than she ever had with Rhoe and Aedion and Ren. But as soon as she got to dinner, sitting with her leg pressed up against Rowan’s, her face lit up and they only had eyes for each other. And the entire great hall only had eyes for them, drawn to their future Queen and her magnetic happiness. The household–Aelin’s family and Rowan’s cadre would retreat to their sitting room after dinner and they talked and told stories of each other, and she had fallen asleep slumped on him every night, still in her training clothes. And he saw the slight smile on her face every night when she eventually went to bed, a softer side that he so rarely saw in his fiery cousin. If only the butterflies had lasted a little longer.

Aedion let out a long-suffering sigh when he opened the door, coming face to face with the male who, in the space of a few days, had gone from his hero to nuisance.

“Can I help you, Prince?” He drawled, hoping that the fae could see the pleading in his eyes. Rowan was also in training clothes, face slick with sweat. When Aedion looked closer he could see faint marks on the sleeves of the fae’s, smudges of ash on the grey fabric. 

“Is your cousin here?” He responded, his own strikingly green eyes narrowed.  

Fully aware the male already knew well that Aelin was, in fact, there, Aedion shook his head blandly. Rowan’s eyes narrowed even more.

Fully prepared to keep up the charade for Aelin’s sake, Aedion wasn’t expecting the voice that piped up indignantly from his shoulder, “That’s Princess to you, Buzzard.” Aelin now stood behind Aedion with an imperious look on her face. A grin flickered quickly on Rowan’s face before he schooled it back to his regular scowl. 

 “ _ Princess _ ,” He drawled back, “You left training before we finished.” 

“This is my kingdom. I can go wherever I please, whenever I please.” She said haughtily, retreating back into Aedion’s room. Rowan followed her, ignoring Aedion’s protests, who threw up his arms in defeat. Straining to catch their conversation. 

“Aelin. I understand that this is frustrating, but trying to use this kind of power, this magnitude of power, without training is dangerous. For you and for those around you.” Aelin’s eyes flickered down to the ash on Rowan’s sleeve for a second. Aedion wondered if maybe she was downplaying what had happened in training. 

“You think I don’t know that?” She hissed, “Because I do. I know that I’m a danger to everyone around me. To myself, my family, my friends, my  _ kingdom.  _ And that’s why you have to teach me something.” Her voice was cracking and her cheeks were reddening, and Aedion and Rowan realized what the problem was. 

Rowan took her face in his hands, and Aedion looked away, feeling like he was interrupting something private. Despite the fact that they were standing in  _ his  _ room. 

Rowan’s voice was considerably softer when he spoke a moment later. “I understand. I do. How about we go and get something to eat and then we can come to a new agreement. You can start actually using your magic, but you also have to actually try to do the exercises we’re going through.” Aelin let out a shuddering breath and nodded, a smile creeping onto her face.

The two of them breezed past Aedion, who stood with an incredulous look on his face, which morphed into a smile as he overheard them walk down the hall. 

“Can we get chocolate cake?” 

“Anything for you, my fireheart.” 


End file.
